CSU "Honor Bands of Georgia" Clinic

CSU’s “Honor Bands of Georgia” Clinic was conceived to honor the finest high school bands in Georgia and to promote the finest in music education.  Each year, high school bands in Georgia will be invited to apply for the honor of being selected to this non-competitive teaching clinic by blind CD (live performance) selection.  A panel of three respected judges outside of the state will select the three best submissions.  The selection process is intended to be highly competitive and honor three of the many premier band programs in the state each year.  The clinic itself is non-competitive and designed as an intense and advanced educational reward.

The selected bands will receive a three-hour full band clinic from Robert Rumbelow, a three-hour full band clinic from Sean Powell (CSU Band Music Education), plus a three-hour masterclass / sectional session from CSU faculty.  A short performance by CSU faculty will close the first evening, and a performance / demonstration from each band plus a brief performance by the CSU Wind Ensemble will close the second evening.  During the final performance / demonstration, each group will receive their “Honor Band of Georgia” trophy exclusively designed for this event. 

Houston County High School opened in the fall of 1991 as the fourth high school in the Houston County School System.  HCHS began 1991 with freshman and sophomore classes; gradually adding a class each following year. The school graduated its first senior class in the spring of 1994.  Houston’s first concert band had 35 members and received its first superior rating at District Festival its inaugural year.  Since that first year, the program has grown from one concert band of 35 students to four concert ensembles, a percussion class, jazz band and music computer tech class that involves an enrollment of 300+.  The program’s top ensemble, Symphonic I, has received superior ratings for the past 17 consecutive years.

 The band program receives its freshman class from four different middle schools in the Houston County School System. Students from Bonaire MS, Feagin Mill MS, Mossy Creek MS and Warner Robins MS provide the foundation for the success of the instrumental program at HCHS.    

Wally Shaw is a native of Baxley, Georgia located in the southeastern part of the state.   He completed his Bachelor of Music Education at Valdosta State College in 1981.  Mr. Shaw returned to his home in Baxley where he assumed the responsibilities as Band Director at Appling County Junior High School and Assistant Director at Appling County Comprehensive High School.   In 1985 he moved to the high school and became director of bands at his Alma Mater.   During his tenure at Appling County High, Mr. Shaw completed course work and received his Master of Science in Teaching from Georgia Southern College.  The band program in Appling County grew during Mr. Shaw’s career in Baxley, with the High School band receiving superior ratings at marching contests and district festival five of his six years as director.

In 1991, Mr. Shaw assumed the duties of Band Director at the newly opened Houston County High School in Warner Robins, Georgia.  The band’s first rehearsal of 12 students was held in the cafeteria as the band room was yet to be completed.  From that first rehearsal with twelve students in the summer of 1991, the band program has grown to over 300 students in 2006.  The program consists of four concert bands, a percussion class and jazz band, music technology class with its own MIDI lab and two marching bands.  The symphonic band has never received less than straight superiors at festival and the marching band has recently enter the competitive arena and is gaining strength each year.

Mr. Shaw holds a Masters and Education Specialists Degree in Leadership and Supervision from Georgia College and State University and Columbus State University, respectively.  He is a member of Georgia Music Educator’s Association where he has served as District Chairman of District 11 GMEA and has served as the GA All-State Concert Band Coordinator for the past seven years.  He was teacher of the year in 1994 at Houston County High School and was selected to Who’s Who among American Teachers in 2002 and 2005.  Mr. Shaw has judged both marching and concert festivals and competitions in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina.  He is a member of Tau Beta Sigma Honorary Band Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Beta Mu, NBA and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators.

 

Roswell High School - Alfred Estep, director

  

The Roswell High School Wind Ensemble is the premier ensemble of the Roswell High School Band program.  To its credit, the band has earned 39 consecutive superior ratings at the GMEA Large Group Performance Evaluation (Festival).  The Wind Ensemble received the Grand Champion Concert Band award at the All Star Music Festival in Orlando, Florida in April of 2003 and 2005.  The band was also crowned Grand Champion in March of 2004 at the Heritage Festivals Competition, New York, New York.

In addition to the Wind Ensemble, the band program serves over 250 student participants in the Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Winter Guard, and various small ensembles.

Alfred Estep is in his seventh year as Director of Bands at Roswell High School in Roswell, Georgia.  During his tenure at Roswell, the Wind Ensemble has received a unanimous superior rating each year, at the GMEA Large Group District Performance Evaluation. He is a veteran teacher of 26 years in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia.  His bands have consistently earned superior ratings and numerous championship accolades in concert band and marching band festivals and competitions. 

Mr. Estep holds a Bachelors Degree from East Tennessee State University and a Masters Degree from The University of Alabama.  His professional affiliations include, Georgia Music Educators Association, Phi Beta Mu, American School Band Directors Association, and Phi Mu Alpha.  Mr. Estep is an active clinician and adjudicator in Georgia, Tennessee, and throughout the southeast.    

 

Starr's Mill High School - Scott King, director

     

The Starr’s Mill High School Wind Ensemble is in its ninth year of existence, Starr’s Mill Wind Ensemble participates in District VI events.  The band program consists of approximately 160 instrumentalists that make up three concert bands, one jazz band, one marching band, and numerous chamber ensembles.  The Wind Ensemble is the premier instrumental performing ensemble at Starr’s Mill High School.  Consisting of 53 instrumentalists, members must audition for this ensemble.  The Starr’s Mill High School Wind Ensemble has performed at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana, GMEA convention, University of Georgia Jan-Fest, University of South Carolina Band Clinic, Southeastern United States Concert Band Clinic, and has now been selected to Columbus State University’s “Honor Band of Georgia” clinic.  The ensemble also has received straight superior ratings with all A’s on stage, sight-reading, and student conductor for the past three years.  Musicians in Wind Ensemble are well represented in District VI events, Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony, Governor’s Honors Program, and various regional honor bands.  This ensemble had the most students in the state selected to the 2006 Georgia High School All-State Band with 20 students.

Scott King is in his fifth year as head band director at Starr’s Mill High School in Fayetteville, Georgia.  Since coming to Starr’s Mill, the Wind Ensemble has flourished.  Mr. King holds music degrees from Jacksonville State University and VanderCook College of Music.  He is a multiple recipient of the National Band Association’s “Citation of Excellence” and the 2005 “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” award.  Mr. King is a former member and instructor for the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps.  He is a member of MENC, GMEA, NBA, and PAS.